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Are you thinking this recent correction is a buying opportunity? If so, you may want to take a look at the consumer discretionary sector, along with sector related exchange traded funds (ETFs).
While many are affected by unemployment and the housing market, most Americans have moved on. The net worth of U.S. households jumped $56.8 trillion in the fourth quarter of 2010, up around $2.1 trillion from the third quarter, writes Ben Rooney for Yahoo! Finance. Corporate equities held by American households also rose $1 trillion to $8.5 trillion as the S&P 500 increased 10% in the fourth quarter. Meanwhile, household debt diminished 0.5%.
Why consumer discretionary? Based on recent economic data, American shoppers and emerging market consumers are spending again. While spending may not be as high as it used to be, discretionary spending could begin to pick up. Fund managers are also bargain shopping on retailers that have expanded abroad while keeping costs down. [4 Consumer ETFs for Renewed Confidence.]
The February employment report revealed a gain of 192,000 jobs – the highest gain in almost four years – joblessness fell to 8.9%. The Commerce Department announced gains of 1% in U.S. February retail sales, reports Bob Willis for Bloomberg. John Herrmann, a senior fixed-income strategist at State Street Global Markets LLC, stated that “consumers have better job security and there is pent-up demand for goods and services,” even with gas prices as high as they are now.
A point of caution: the economic upturn has been selective. You only need to look at the high unemployment rate to figure that, and even some Americans lucky enough to be employed are struggling under the weight of stagnant salaries or even pay cuts. [Retail ETFs: Luxury Makes a Comeback.]
- First Trust Consumer Discretionary AlphaDEX (NYSEArca: FXD)
- PowerShares Dynamic Consumer Discretionary (NYSEArca: PEZ)
- Vanguard Consumer Discretionary (NYSEArca: VCR)
- SPDR Consumer Discretionary Select Sector Fund (NYSEArca: XLY)
For more information on the consumer discretionary sector, visit our consumer discretionary category.
Max Chen contributed to this article.
The opinions and forecasts expressed herein are solely those of Tom Lydon, and may not actually come to pass. Information on this site should not be used or construed as an offer to sell, a solicitation of an offer to buy, or a recommendation for any product.


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However, as per Facebook's description, the app also supports notifications and includes live tile integration to flag up waiting messages.
In addition users will be able send photos, videos, GIFs, as well as use stickers. The app will indicate when a recipient has seen the message. It also features groups and search.
The app isn't yet available for download but at least Facebook has now posted official screenshots of what the app looks like when it does arrive.
Facebook toldVenture Beat that it has been testing the Windows 10 app with a "small percentage of people in a few countries".
ZDNet has asked Facebook when the app will actually be ready to install and whether a Windows 10 mobile app is also in the works, but has yet to receive a response. The current Messenger for Windows mobile does support Windows 10 mobile but it's fairly dated.
A new Messenger app for Windows 10 mobile devices may not be unrealistic, given Facebook's launch this week of the Instagram beta for Windows 10 mobile devices.

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Japanese retailer, MINISO, has confirmed plans for its continued expansion in Africa as the company stated that it would be signing an agreement with Kenya’s ‘The Hub’ Karen (THK) Lifestyle complex. The company has confirmed plans to set up more than 100 outlets in as part of an ambitious expansion strategy that will eventually cover other parts of the continent.
Philippe Cauviere, CEO of Azalea Holdings, the developers of The Hub Karen, said MINISO, a high profile international retailer, will further enhance the variety of lifestyle stores at the shopping and recreation complex.
Cauviere was speaking when he confirmed the signing and scheduled opening of the MINISO lifestyle store at The HUB Karen due to be executed by August, 2018.
MINISO Lifestyle Kenya Business Development Manager, Dean Zhu confirmed that the organization plans to expand its local presence with a mix of directly owned and franchised outlets countrywide.
“We are truly excited that MINISO has chosen The Hub Karen as one of their African flagship locations,” Cauviere said.
“The scheduled opening of a MINISO lifestyle store in August will undoubtedly enhance The Hub Karen’s appeal as Sub-Sahara’s premier shopping and recreation complex and offer shoppers a wide range of unique and affordable lifestyle products,” he continued.
In Africa, MINISO’s footprint covers Nigeria, Egypt, Uganda, Tanzania, South Africa, Morocco and Madagascar with over 2,600 stores across the world.
“As part of our expansion strategies at MINISO, we are planning to develop more than 100 stores in Kenya directly and on a franchise model.” Dean said.
MINISO stocks a wide variety of retail products inspired by fashion lifestyle in every aspect of life. The firm’s stores stock more than 5,000 products covering categories such as health, beauty, digital, creative home-ware, stationery and gifts, boutiques and bags, textile, toys, food and beverage as well as accessories, life department and seasonal products.
In 2017, MINISO’s global turnover stood at $1.2 billion while sales from external markets came in at $737 million.
The Hub Karen is part of the Janus Continental Group, an international conglomerate, comprising of market-leading companies in the Energy, Hospitality and Real Estate sectors.


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“It’s a simple matter of corporate responsibility,” Joe Kerola said, referring to taking care of his employees during the current economic downturn.
The president of Ohio-based carrier PI&I Motor Express said his company is a “family” that was 67 years in the making. And families stick together when times get tough. That’s why, during the midst of the worst national economy since the Great Depression, Kerola is seeing to it that no employee is let go because of the carrier’s financial performance.
PI&I, flatbed hauler of steel, pipe, and industrial raw materials, has more than 400 employees working in all aspects of company operations and an equal number of trucks and trailers in its fleet.
“We primarily carry raw materials on flatbeds for use in industry,” Kerola said.
For example, PI&I hauls a lot of steel from Pennsylvania and the Midwest to automobile manufactures in Detroit. Likewise, the company serves oil companies, delivering pipe and drilling supplies across the country. Oil and automobile manufacturing are important indicators of the strength of the nation’s economy, and Kerola has learned that when the two industries experience financial difficulties, the trickle-down leads to PI&I in short order.
Kerola is a big fan of the CARES Act. He is also a beneficiary of the economic stimulus program as a recipient of a Payment Protection Program (PPP) loan intended to keep small businesses from laying off employees.
Not only has PPP provided Kerola an opportunity to help stimulate the economy, but it has also allowed him to avoid placing a financial burden on a staff that’s already overwhelmed with impacts of the COVID-19 crisis.
PPP funds included in the CARES Act are intended to support small businesses through low-interest and potentially forgivable loans, provided the businesses use funding to sustain salaries, wages and jobs. The program also shortens unemployment lines and ensures businesses are ready to resume normal activities as the economy improves. After just two weeks, loans depleted the initial $350 billion provided for PPP. Congress and President Trump responded in late April with another $310 billion.
“I wanted to avoid layoffs,” Kerola said. “The loan covers eight weeks of personnel costs for 400 PI&I employees.”
True to Kerola’s word, he hasn’t laid off a single employee.
“We wouldn’t have been able to withstand a 30% decrease in demand and revenue without PPP,” Kerola said, adding that PI&I remained busy through the month of March, but as demand for products slowed, so did the need for raw materials. By mid-April, the company experienced a drastic decrease in business.
“Low fuel prices help, but we supply companies that drill for oil,” Kerola said. “When oil prices drop, they don’t drill, and they don’t need us to deliver drilling supplies.”
The same holds true with automobile manufacturers, he said. When fewer cars are built, demand for steel decreases, and the need for PI&I to haul the raw material used to build cars falls as well.”
Kerola is grateful for what PPP has allowed him to do for his employees. People are facing enough problems beyond their control, he said. PPP relieves a burden on employees and government programs.
“By taking advantage of PPP, we aren’t burdening an unemployment system already overwhelmed,” Kerola said.
While PI&I Motor Express is just one company, Kerola understands the importance that businesses accepting PPP loans use them for their intended purpose.
“It’s a simple matter of corporate responsibility,” Kerola stated.
Since retiring from a career as an outdoor recreation professional from the State of Arkansas, Kris Rutherford has worked as a freelance writer and, with his wife, owns and publishes a small Northeast Texas newspaper, The Roxton Progress. Kris has worked as a ghostwriter and editor and has authored seven books of his own. He became interested in the trucking industry as a child in the 1970s when his family traveled the interstates twice a year between their home in Maine and their native Texas. He has been a classic country music enthusiast since the age of nine when he developed a special interest in trucking songs.


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The Supreme Court said Monday that it will hear arguments in an antitrust case against Apple.
The U.S.-based tech giant is reportedly asking the nation’s highest court to dismiss the lawsuit, which alleges that Apple is violating federal antitrust laws by inflating prices on apps through a purported monopoly of the software. Specifically, since prospective apps have to go through Apple to get into its proprietary App Store, the plaintiff argues that Apple is able to charge extortionate prices.
The suit, Apple v. Pepper, may gain class action status, meaning Apple could potentially be liable for paying millions of dollars in penalties and compensation, according to a Bloomberg report. A federal judge in Oakland, Calif., originally threw out the suit, but the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco ruled in 2017 that the litigation was legitimate and could move forward.
Apple is supported by the Trump administration, which filed an Amicus Brief in May in an attempt to reverse the court of appeals’ decision through the Supreme Court. (RELATED: Report: Apple Used An Obscure Island To Avoid Billions In Taxes)
“The Ninth Circuit is home to a disproportionate share of the Nation’s e-commerce companies, and its erroneous decision creates uncertainty and a lack of uniformity about the proper application of Section 4 [of the Clayton Act] to this increasingly common business model,” the brief reads.
Apple claims that it has cultivated competition through the growth of its App store. It said app developers earned more than $20 billion in 2017 because of the App Store, a 30 percent uptick from the year prior.
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The Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) will host a dizzying drone show, with 500 aircraft soaring hundreds of meters above the ground, lighting up the night sky until 29 January 2023.
The Beach, JBR and Bluewaters Island have two light shows every night at 7pm and 10pm.
Countless hours of programming and preparation went into this spectacular show, which pushed the boundaries of creativity while also telling a captivating story on air, with tens of thousands of shoppers in one of Dubai’s most popular times Have been admiring it for years.
This year, both exhibitions are united under one overarching concept, exploring concepts around technology, robotics and the future; using an intricate network of lights from aerial drones to develop themes and showcase the story of Dubai.
Each show is approximately five minutes long, and the first of two daily shows takes audiences on a journey through the Dubai Shopping Festival inspired by the everyday lives of visitors.
The show begins with the journey of a traveler flying into the UAE and landing at Dubai International Airport, before experiencing the famous and iconic attractions of the Dubai Shopping Festival, including the iconic fireworks and festival of lights.
After a magical day of exploring the emirate, travelers soar into the sunset at sunset.
The second show, set in a futuristic hyperverse, gave residents an immersive glimpse into what Dubai might look like twenty years from now. Set in the year 2040, this forward-looking experience offers onlookers a glimpse of what Dubai might look like as it moves towards a pioneering tomorrow.
Using cutting-edge technology and AR headsets, viewers will be catapulted into the center of the story and immersed in a 3D light show.
How Drones Work
The expansive flying space above the venue locations—JBR’s Bluewaters and The Beach—gives the creatives behind the show access to 500 drones; all operated by a dedicated team from a purpose-built landing zone near the takeoff site.
Hundreds of glowing drones execute choreographed patterns using 3D animation tools, requiring only two pilots each night to perform the show.
Pilots control the operation of the entire fleet through state-of-the-art control systems. Each drone works as a separate entity and will maintain its own flight path, carefully mapped into computer-guided animations.
Now in its 28th year, the popular annual festival organized by the Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE) has become a mainstay in the tourism calendar. The seven-week Dubai Shopping Festival features a wide variety of retail deals and offers, as well as a string of top-notch entertainment and concerts – as well as a drone light show. Head to visitdubai.com to learn more about the drone show.
Through January 29, 2023, DSF offers the chance to shop, win and play, including incredible deals, innovative events, world-class entertainment and life-changing prizes, while also offering deals from a variety of local and global The brand’s ultimate retail therapy such as live concerts, outdoor markets, pop-up restaurants and more. – trade arab news agency


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Tourism represents 7% of total export of goods and services among the least developed countries (LDCs), according to a recent report.
‘Tourism for Sustainable Development in Least Developed Countries’, compiled by the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the Enhanced Integrated Framework and the International Trade Centre, has been released to coincide with the United Nations’ International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development.
Despite tourism’s positive contribution to trade, however, the report notes: “It is often difficult to direct trade-related technical assistance towards the sector because tourism and trade tend to fall under different line ministries.” Successful policies, it recommends, “require strong collaboration across government agencies as well as different actors at the regional or local level,” which the International Year aims to promote.
The report’s findings are backed up by the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer for the first quarter of 2017, which revealed a 6% growth worldwide in international tourist arrivals. Significantly, destinations that had previously struggled experienced a rebound. This is illustrated by results for Africa (up 8%), Asia-Pacific (6%) and the Americas (4%), which suggest robust growth for the sector in developing regions.
“Investment can ensure that tourism can continue to contribute to socio-economic inclusiveness and development in the long term,” says Olivia Ruggles-Brise, policy and communications director at the World Travel & Tourism Council. “It is important that destinations put the right policies in place to safeguard their assets. For example if certain places are in danger of overcrowding, we encourage them to think about solutions through which the tourists that visit can actually help sustain or rebuild the environment and cultural heritage.”
“Furthermore, we believe it is of extreme importance that the income generated by tourism is invested back into the local communities,” she adds. “This will help stimulate empowerment, jobs, and therefore the country’s economy.”


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Off the back of a competitive tender process, Medium Rare Content Agency has nabbed the contract to publish QantasLink’s Spirit magazine.
The publication will be redesigned and reformatted, with the agency helping it to re-launch as a bi-monthly publication as of the September 2016 issue.
To coincide with the new print edition, Medium Rare will also launch a special Spirit section in the Qantas magazine app, along with developing rural and regional content for Qantas’ inspirational website, travelinsider.qantas.com.au.
“As the current publishing partner of Qantas magazine and its digital extensions, we are delighted to be able to continue to grow our relationship with Australia’s most iconic airline,” Medium Rare MD Gerry Reynolds said.
“We very much look forward to offering QantasLink passengers a new look magazine with inspiring and engaging content and providing advertisers with opportunities to reach a highly engaged audience.”
Qantas group executive brand, marketing and corporate affairs, Olivia Wirth, added, “The new-look Spirit magazine will tell local stories and share the beauty and diversity of these regions with people around the world as Spirit content will also be available on Qantas Travel Insider and our Qantas Magazine App.”
In this guest post, Wavemaker’s national strategy partner, James Boardman (pictured below), talks addressable priming and why it’ll be the end of average and the peak of creativity in media planning… For my entire career media plans have contained a large amount of average. I’m not talking about the quality of my planning skills (although […]
Apple’s new approach to digital advertising is set to go ahead in a matter of weeks, with advertisers warned to think about user privacy first. Previously, companies that sell mobile ads have relied on Apple’s IDFA (“identifier for advertisers”) as a way to identify specific users and offer targeted ads. But with Apple continuing to […]
As programmatic digital out of home (pDOOH) continues to help advertisers enhance their existing campaigns, digital outdoor media experts, QMS, is already seeing results pay dividends with the latest campaign for a Tourism and Travel sector client delivering over 2,000 tourist visitors who can be directly attributed from their exposure of the pDOOH campaign. The […]
For years now, Apple users have located misplaced iPhones and other Apple devices via the Find My app. In case you haven’t used it before, Find My tracks the locations of iPhones, iPads, laptops and even AirPods, meaning the whereabouts of each device will come up on a map if it’s ever lost. The app […]
Commonwealth Bank and the sport’s governing body, Football Australia, announced today that CBA will become the official naming rights partner and bank of the national women’s team, the Matildas, Junior Matildas and Young Matildas from August 2021. M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment supported Commonwealth Bank to bring the partnership together with Football Australia, and looks […]
Facebook Australia is celebrating Ramadan with a range of initiatives including Lives, Reels, IGTV and more. To launch the initiative, Facebook has partnered with a number of Muslim creators and organisations, who will be sharing their perspectives of the holy month on both Facebook and Instagram. Facebook says the 30 days of content is part […]
Netflix’s real-time streaming service, launched in France, provides an unexpected alternative to television as the platform also announced a new deal with Sony. The program, called ‘Direct’, is a real-time service with a stream that covers five days, to prevent repeat programming. It was announced in November 2020 originally and rolled out fully in December […]
The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), a division of The Economist Group, has announced the launch of “EIU Viewpoint”, a new digital product that combines the EIU’s expert political insights, policy analysis, and economic outlook with forward-looking forecasts and proprietary data. “EIU Viewpoint” helps businesses, academics, governments, and financial institutions stay ahead of the shifting global […]
Adelaide-based creative agency KWP! brings more than one hundred volunteers together in an onscreen battle against life threatening diseases for the sequel to The Hospital Research Foundation (THRF) Group’s ‘Together Fight’ campaign. Two 30-second TVC’s feature the return of ‘The Beast’, who comes up against a young patient and army of real-life patients, researchers, staff […]


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Written by Kim Zeuli and Nicole Dolcimascolo, EEP – January 11, 2021
The pandemic has both highlighted and exacerbated the systemic inequities that have created underrepresented entrepreneurs—entrepreneurs of color, women and military veterans, among others. It has underscored the importance of ongoing efforts like JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s Small Business Forward initiative (launched in 2015) to move underrepresented entrepreneurs to the center of small business support systems.
During the past six years, Small Business Forward has invested in a dynamic group of inclusive, entrepreneurial support organizations (ESOs) dedicated to a shared mission of providing underrepresented entrepreneurs with access to capital, technical support and guidance and unlocking economic opportunity and mobility. This year, the ESOs were on the front line of a national, small business crisis, helping their diverse clients navigate a compounded set of challenges.
Our evaluation of Small Business Forward over the past six years has captured the impact of a small subset (21) of their ESO partners. These ESOs have supported nearly 11,000 small businesses, providing diverse entrepreneurs with critical business education, connections to capital and access to markets to grow their businesses and create new jobs. The businesses have raised $1.5 billion in capital, generated $1.3 billion in revenue, created more than 28,000 jobs, and paid $953 million in wages.
JMPC highlighted the work of BioSTL:
ESO Navigation of the Pandemic
The ESOs, like all organizations and businesses, also had to navigate the impact of the pandemic—closing their offices and changing how they served their customers. They also had to contend with customers in crisis. For many ESOs, this meant moving all operations online, helping their businesses access emergency funding and changing and increasing their programming—quickly and without additional staff resources. We asked each ESO to reflect on how they navigated this year’s challenges and provide us with some examples of how they pivoted to help their clients.
BioSTL (St. Louis, MO)
“For some people, working from home is as simple as opening a laptop. It has been a little more complicated for companies working out of BioGenerator shared labs. (BioGenerator is the investment arm of BioSTL.) For a startup with limited resources, access to shared equipment is essential. Once scientists began working from home, many companies couldn’t afford to let valuable research languish during the pandemic. BioGenerator has loaned some equipment and machines to startup founders setting up home office labs to help companies continue their research at a critical time. Entrepreneurs are best at being flexible and solving problems, and BioSTL is encouraged to see so many startups continue to push through these challenging times and continue to develop innovation in St. Louis.” –Lindsey Harrison, Program Manager, BioSTL


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ETMONEY has launched its new SIP payment feature based on Aadhar, to serve the largest section of the country and make investment accessible and seamless. This feature will allow the user to setup the automatic payments using an OTP verification using Aadhar.
The hassle of remembering password and failed login attempts have made digital banking face much obstruction in a country like India.This has caused a low success rates in creating payment mandates in SIP through bank accounts. The simple OTP based Aadhar authentication system will cater to a wide range of investors by making online investment accessible and hassle free.
ETMONEY’s latest innovation is a step forward in its vision to make India financially stronger. And this Aadhar-linked SIP payment mandate will enable more Indians to invest regularly via SIPs, promoting better financial discipline amongst the masses.
Speaking on the latest Aadhaar-based SIP set up, Founder-CEO Mukesh Kalra said, SIPs work best for investors who automate the payment towards their monthly investments. And we want to help all those Indians who find using their bank’s internet banking cumbersome by providing them an option to set up their SIP mandates easily through their Aadhar linked bank accounts. We are confident this will go a long way in taking online investments to that section of Indian society who are still not a part of digital banking services.”
ETMONEY is India’s largest app for financial services that is simplifying the financial journey of new-age Indians. Consumers use ETMONEY to invest in zero-commission Direct mutual funds for free, save for their retirement with NPS, protect their families with unique Insurance solutions & use ETMONEY Credit Card to take instant loans at low-cost. Growing at 350% yearly, combined with multiple innovative solutions, it has grown to 8Mn users from more than 1300+ Indian cities and is driving more than $500Mn of non-payment annual transaction volume on its platform.


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Prominent local venture fund Maveron is betting big on health-care coverage — for pets. Seattle-based Maveron, which has backed consumer-oriented...
Prominent local venture fund Maveron is betting big on health-care coverage — for pets.
Seattle-based Maveron, which has backed consumer-oriented companies such as Cranium and eBay, is leading a $22 million investment in pet-insurance firm Trupanion, the companies said Wednesday.
Trupanion, the U.S. incarnation of a Canadian pet-insurance firm founded in 2000, will use the money to “aggressively expand across the United States,” said Chief Executive Darryl Rawlings. The company will market directly to thousands of local veterinary clinics; the company also plans on talking to employers that could offer pet insurance as an employee benefit.
The U.S. market offers great growth opportunities, because there are 176 million cats and dogs, yet very few pet owners pay for insurance, Rawlings said.
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The company, which moved to Seattle last April and started selling insurance in the U.S. in January, allows pet owners to start buying insurance only when their puppies and kittens are less than 1 year old, and provides $20,000 in coverage throughout the pet’s lifetime.
The average monthly premium for a cat is more than $20, and for a dog more than $30, Rawlings said.
By opening its doors only to young animals, the company can minimize claim rejections due to pre-existing conditions. Rawlings said Trupanion approves 19 out of 20 claims and reimburses 90 percent of the expenses. Trupanion owns its own U.S. insurance firm.
The company, headquartered in Mountlake Terrace, has an in-house staff of 26.
Ángel González: 206-515-5644 or firstname.lastname@example.org


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Washington, DC -- the US trade representative's office(USTR) today announced the next step in imposing 10 billion dollars in additional tariffs on about $300 billion of Chinese imports.
JUNON switch as is a company that 50% business is for export, surely worry about that.
On May 17, 2019, the U.S. Trade Representative's Office announced a list of products imported from China that may impose an additional 10 tariffs. The new tariff will take effect on September 1, as President Trump announced on August 1.
Some products are removed from the tariff list based on health, safety, national security, and other factors and will not face 10 additional tariffs.
In addition, as part of the USTR public opinion and hearing process, the determination of tariffs on certain provisions should be postponed until 15 December. Products in this group include, for example, mobile phones, laptops, video game consoles, certain toys, computer monitors, and certain footwear and clothing.
USTR intends to implement exclusion procedures for products subject to additional tariff restrictions.
The U.S. Trade Representative's Office will publish the extra details and lists of tariff lines affected by this bulletin in the Federal Chronicle as soon as possible.
Of the 300 billion U.S. dollars, the list of products that began to impose 10 % tariffs on December 15 and the list of products that began to impose 10 % tariffs on September 1 of the 300 billion U.S. dollars.
Very lucky that JUNON switch products are not in the list, but we also need to be ready in future some day will be, who knows? So we have to figure out the back plan and related countermeasures.


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CORPUS CHRISTI - H-E-B stores removed Luv Candy Text Messages from its shelves Thursday afternoon after the candy's manufacturer alerted the supermarket chain that it may have discovered foreign materials inside, H-E-B officials said.
H-E-B issued the statewide recall Thursday pulling the hard candy from all of its stores. There have been no reported injuries or illnesses, according to an H-E-B news release. The fruit-flavored candy is manufactured by Zed Candy, according to the release.
H-E-B spokeswoman Marcie Casas did not know late Thursday what was found in the candy or how much of it H-E-B had to recall. Casas said the recall was done as a precaution.
"H-E-B is concerned about the safety of all of its products," Casas said. "Whenever we get notice that something could be wrong with a product, we tend to err on the safe side rather than risk anything,"
H-E-B is encouraging anyone who purchased the candy to return it to the nearest H-E-B for a full refund. For information, call 800-432-3113.
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HONG KONG (MarketWatch) — Apple began last week by basking in record quarterly profits, but then ended the week in a public-relations retreat after reports of exploited workers in factories in China assembling its hot-selling iPads and iPhones.
For now, the media spotlight is on Apple AAPL, -4.62% and its Taiwanese contract supplier Foxconn (2038) FXCNF, -7.26%. But China’s leaders will also be shifting uncomfortably as the gaze of the international media turns to the harsh underbelly of its manufacturing economy.
Behind China’s remarkable economic progress toil an estimated 120 million migrant workers, typically living and working in austere factory complexes.
Two decades into China’s industrial transformation, how much responsibility do authorities shoulder for its Hukou (household registration) system that effectively institutionalizes migrant workers as second-class citizens in their own country?
But for now, it is Apple in the firing line. The New York Times ignited media interest after a story on unsafe working conditions, as well as seven-day workweeks and cramped dormitories at Apple’s Foxconn supplier in China.
The public-relations drubbing was ramped up another degree by Jon Stewart’s Comedy Central, with a disturbing “Fear Factory” satire on the lot of the workers behind Apple’s prodigious profits.
The problem for Apple is that beneath the humor and the shock headlines, there is enough truth about worker conditions in mainland Chinese factories to offend many of its customers and ultimately damage its premium brand.
At the same time, apportioning blame and improving the current situation is much less simple.
Apple’s Chief Executive Tim Cook has expressed “outrage” at reports of unsafe working practices at suppliers and has promised to step up audits. It should also be remembered that Apple is just one of many international companies — such as Nokia NOK, -1.18%, Dell DELL, -6.59% and Microsoft MSFT, -3.19% — that use Foxconn as an assembly supplier.
Foxconn, which employs over a million workers in China, has been in the headlines before after a spate of worker suicides at its factories in 2010. See 2010 report on Foxconn’s suicide problem.
It later set up help-lines and safety nets to stop employees jumping, as well as raising salaries. Basic pay was increased to 2,000 yuan ($315) a month, up from 1,200 yuan.
The company tends to attract attention because of its size, with over 300,000 working and living in its Shenzhen complex that is the size of small town.
While home for workers is most likely still a cramped, shared dormitory, in the past decade Shenzhen has transformed with new skyscrapers, subways and streets packed with new cars.


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Major cities that chose Pilates as No. 1 included Kansas City, Las Vegas and San Francisco. Strength training is the most popular workout in Austin, Chicago and Nashville while New York and Boston choose cycling first.
ClassPass, launched in 2013, is a monthly subscription service providing access to the world's largest network of boutique fitness studios and gyms. With tens of thousands of classes available at over 8,500 locations worldwide, ClassPass also reported these survey findings:


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NASHVILLE, Tenn.--As Nashville continues to grow, so does the cost and demand of renting in 'IT' city.
A new report from Zillow on Monday shows median rent is up 3.1% from a year ago, the median rent now $1,536 per month. According to a private nonprofit corporation made represented by some of the city's largest companies, the high demand for apartments and leasing space will only continue to grow for years to come.
The Nashville Downtown Partnership (NDP) is comprised of board members representing First Tennessee Bank, the Nashville Predators & Bridgestone Arena, the Tennessee Titans, Pinacle Finanacial, Bridgestone Americas, Warner Music Group, Ingram Industries, and many others.
The NDP's purpose is to focus on recruiting businesses, development of retail and residential spaces, transportation, communications, and marketing.
According to the 2018 Downtown Nashville Business Census, conducted every three years, the census provides a glimpse into why demand is so high. In 2015, there were 57,230 employees in downtown Nashville. Last year, that number swelled to 72,000 employees. By 2022/2023, there could be as many as 95,000 employees downtown. While renters will see rising rates, so will companies looking to lease office space. The continued growth is leading to more demand, raising lease rates and the need for more offices. Through 2026, an in-depth market study shows new office space will drive the absorption of over 4 million square feet of space.
More employees also means more cars on the streets and more demand for housing. During a November NDP board meeting last year, NDP President and CEO said in 2015, there were 1,500 cars on downtown street. In 2018, that number jumped to 4,000 cars. Much of the growth can be attributed to new businesses downtown which are also expanding at a rapid pace. The NDP previously reported during that meeting the demand for apartments downtown is estimated to be around another 7,295 units from 2018 through 2026.
While that demand is considered moderate, high rents are expected to drive demand to other submarkets near downtown.


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Today is the 15th anniversary of the legendary Michael Jordan "flu game", and along with obsessively watching YouTube clips of the memorable day, basketball fans can also revel in the joy of watching M.J. put LeBron James in his place — at least in the virtual dunking world.
New reviews are popping up around the web of 2K Sports' upcoming "NBA 2K13" game. New to the 2K franchise this year, according to 2K Sports guru Ronnie Singh, is a dunk contest between past NBA legends and current stars.
The contest lets gamers attempt flashy dunks using a "Rock Band"-like interface that requires a certain sequence of buttons to raise the intensity of the jam.
"NBA 2K13" debuts on Oct. 2, but gamers who want access to the dunking sequence must separately pre-order an "All-Star Package."
One other piece of good news: All indications are that Derrick Rose's virtual knee will be as healthy as ever. Ah, the fantasy of video games.
Check this out, at about 1:30:


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Pokémon GO Cobalion hour will begin on March 17, as the legendary Pokémon becomes available in raids. As part of the content planned for Pokémon GO, Niantic Labs planned Cobalion's raid event plus a Spotlight Hour on the same day.
Players will be able to catch an unannounced Pokémon set to spawn more frequently at 6 p.m. local time.
Pokémon GO Cobalion Hour: When Does Cobalion Join the Raid Tiers?
Players will be able to start catching Cobalion at 4 p.m. ET. Both the splotlight hour and new legendary Pokémon should gie players something to do after Niantic Labs canceled the Community Day because of the Coronavirus pandemic. Instead, they released a Winter Box with 30 Incenses for the price of one PokeCoin.
Niantic Labs also increased the Incense time to one hour instead of 30 minutes. Besides the Incense box, players will have three more bonuses:
- 1/2 Hatch Distance when Eggs are placed into Incubators during this time period
- PokéStops will now drop Gifts more frequently
- Pokémon habitats will increase and more Pokémon will be appearing in the wild


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Our generation has witnessed many serial killers in the past 10 years which not only killed some giant companies but transformed the entire industry with their innovations. Carefully read this to understand how few Startups have killed the giant companies and ruling the industry with great power. ☞ Netflix : The days of standing in line to get your Friday night video is over. Blockbuster which was valued at $8.4 billion in the beginning of this century had to file bankruptcy for an embarassing starting price of $290 millions because of the new technical startup Netflix. Although Blockbuster began as a rentals-by-mail company and also started streaming service later to fight aganst the strong competition from the upcoming startups like Netflix, they didn't
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(KGTV) - A story you may have heard claims McDonald's is advertising at a mall that's more than 400 miles away from the nearest McDonald's.
An ad for McDonald's Chicken McNuggets was posted at a mall in Norway.
Unfortunately, the closest McDonald's in Norway is 626 miles away.
If you're willing to cross the border into Sweden, you can cut the trip down to a tidy 414 miles.
A Norwegian newspaper contacted McDonald's, which said the ad at the mall was a mistake and they would be sure to take it down.
If you're wondering, the town does have a Burger King.


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Honda’s appetite for new concept cars has grown, and after presenting the Urban EV in Frankfurt last month, they’re now going to introduce the Sports EV during the 2017 Tokyo Motor Show.
Details about the new study are rather scarce at this point, but the manufacturer says that it’s a compact sports car that delivers “a feeling of joy and emotional unity to the drive”, by combining an EV powertrain and artificial intelligence (AI) technology.
Accompanying the short announcement is a teaser image, which partially reveals its shape. It has a clean profile, muscular fenders, sloping roofline, and square-shaped LED taillights.
The official sketch provides a glimpse into the cabin as well, which appears to be dominated by a generously sized display, similar to the one fitted to the Urban EV Concept, with which it shares its platform as well.
Joining the new Honda Sports EV Concept at Japan’s automotive event, which opens its gates for the media on October 25 and for the public two days later, is the Urban EV Concept, alongside the NeuV Concept that debuted at CES in Las Vegas back in January, plus the JDM-spec CR-V.


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This New Database Shows if Your Seafood Was Caught Using Slave Labor
Most of us are aware that bad fishing methods can cause major damage to the environment and to fish populations themselves, but did you know that many fisheries are also guilty of major human rights violations? The Seafood Slavery Risk Tool was unveiled Thursday, which aims to reduce the damage that humans do to other humans in the name of catching seafood.
The tool is a group effort, created by the Monterey Bay Seafood Watch, Liberty Asia to Prevent Human Trafficking, and the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership. Users can visit Seafoodslaveryrisk.org to discover the likelihood that forced labor, human trafficking or hazardous child labor was used on the fishing boats used to catch a specific type of seafood in a specific area.
NPR notes that the announcement of the tool comes on the heels of a new report from Human Rights Watch detailing forced labor and numerous human rights violations in the fishery industries in Thailand, mostly perpetrated on migrants from nearby countries like Myanmar and Cambodia.
The tool was designed primarily so that business and financial partners of the three organizations that created it could do due diligence. That being said, the site encourages other business owners to use the tool to ensure that their supply chain is slavery-free.
It’s been difficult for seafood suppliers to know exactly how seafood is being caught and processed, as violations often happen far from shore. This tool will help the companies that bring seafood to the world do so in an ethical manner.
For the average seafood consumer, the tool is interesting to peruse. In order to use it, you need to have some basic awareness about the seafood you’d like to investigate. In addition to knowing either the common or Latin name, you need to know where it was caught, where it was processed, and the method used to catch it. Seafood is rated critical, high, moderate, or low risk, depending on the likelihood of forced or child labor.
Some of the results are surprising. For example, Queen scallops from the United Kingdom are rated critical risk, “based on multiple sources documenting forced labor occurring on board UK-registered scallop vessels.”
The hope is that businesses will use the tool to examine what is happening in their supply chain — and then choose to do the right thing.
Will you be using the database? Tell us @britandco!
(Photo by Paula Bronstein/Getty)


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Ottawa should rethink how it approaches increasing market access in trade negotiations, writes Larry Martin.
By Larry Martin, June 8, 2018
Public commentary regarding the NAFTA negotiations is mainly on the auto industry, as is appropriate. But another of Trump’s whipping boys is US market access to Canada’s supply-managed dairy and poultry industries. In the fourth round of the NAFTA discussions, the US negotiators tabled a proposal to eliminate Canada’s supply management system for dairy, poultry, and eggs, which Canada’s Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay responded by calling it a “non-starter.”
Yet, in recent days, Trudeau has also indicated a willingness to show “flexibility” on this issue. More uncertain is what this “flexibility” would actually entail. Canada’s recent track record in trade negotiations has been to offer increased access to dairy and poultry through a mechanism called Tariff Rate Quotas (TRQ’s), which denotes a minimum market access for imports before tariffs become applied. Changes in TRQs can affect imports without having an impact on tariff levels. However, questions can be raised about the wisdom of this approach.
Under supply management, dairy and poultry boards manage prices to levels informed by cost-of-production formulas and by allocating production quotas to domestic farmers. Managed prices are frequently above US and world levels. To prevent imports from undermining them, Canada imposes tariffs of between 150-300 percent, which are allowed by the World Trade Organization (WTO). WTO also mandates a minimum market access using the TRQ mechanism. In Canada’s case, TRQ’s are essentially from 5-8 percent of domestic consumption.
Tariffs work in conjunction with TRQ’s: once the TRQ for a product is full, i.e., when the amount allowed in duty free is imported, the tariff applies against any further imports. For example, Canada’s tariff on butter is just under 300 percent; so assuming the TRQ is 8 percent of domestic consumption, as soon as that quantity is imported, any remaining imports are subject to the 300 percent tariff. Imports are tariff free within the quota, but highly protected thereafter.
The Strategic Policy Issue
In trade negotiations, the importing country can offer market access by reducing tariffs, increasing TRQ, or a combination of the two.
To date, Canada has been willing to increase TRQ’s for dairy and poultry in trade negotiations. In CETA, Europe got 16,000 tonnes of TRQ for high quality cheeses and 1,700 for industrial cheese. In CPTPP, Canada gave 3.25 percent more TRQ for dairy and 2.0 percent each for chicken, turkey and eggs. With other access already given up, this means Canada has given just under 10 percent of Canadian consumption to other countries.
The NAFTA negotiations appear to be on hold because of the US-imposed (and WTO-illegal) tariffs on steel and aluminum. But anything that Trump is involved in can turn on a dime, so they could be back on tomorrow. So, what is the best strategy?
Current data suggest major reductions in Canadian tariffs would not give up much protection. Butter will illustrate. Canada’s milk prices are based on support prices for butter and skim milk powder. Canada’s current support price for butter is $8.00/kg. The intent of the tariff is to keep imports out by making their landed cost (their price plus transportation and tariff) higher than $8.00.
The US Department of Agriculture’s average wholesale price of butter in late March 2018 was US $4.85 per kg. Given the weaker Canadian loonie (US $0.78), this gives a US price in Canadian funds of $6.22. So, ignoring transportation costs, US butter within its TRQ can be sold in Canada for a very healthy profit of $1.78 ($8.00 – $6.22).
But the 300 percent tariff (again ignoring transportation costs) at $6.22 is $18.66. Adding the tariff to the cost of $6.22 gives a landed price of $24.88. In other words, in the current situation of relatively low dairy prices in the US, Canada’s tariff is far higher than needed to protect the Canadian market. This is rather like using an artillery barrage to kill a fly when a flyswatter would suffice: in this example, the fly swatter would be a minimum $1.78 tariff.
Because the tariffs for supply managed products are so high, giving up a lot of tariff gives up only a little protection, whereas giving up a little TRG gives up a lot of protection. Canadian tariffs are far higher than needed to protect the domestic market.
We should expect two arguments against negotiating tariffs rather than TRQ’s. The first is that exporting countries can do the same arithmetic and conclude that TRQ’s are much better for them because the drop in Canadian tariffs required to have real impact on market access is so large. But there’s nothing in the history of trade negotiation that says the exporting countries get to choose how importers provide more market access. Canada has no obligation to give up TRQ’s.
The second argument is one that members of the supply management industry have made for 30 years. It’s the “slippery slope” argument: i.e., if we give up any tariff at all, there will be no end to demands to give up even more in trade negotiations. While that’s clearly true, giving up more and more TRQ is not a slope. It’s falling off a cliff: we simply give increasing parts of the domestic market to foreign suppliers and take it away from domestic farmers. At least with lower tariffs the domestic industry would still have substantial protection, would be able to adjust to meet foreign imports, thereby having a chance to compete in its own country’s market.
There is clearly a choice.
Larry Martin is Principal at Agri-Food Management Excellence.


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BattleGoat Studios and Paradox Interactive today announced the release of a new patch for Supreme Ruler: Cold War that brings numerous improvements and a brand new scenario to the strategy game.
New Scenario: Shadow of the Bear
As the Cold War heats up in the late 1950’s, what would have been the fallout if a nuclear exchange had occurred between the United States and the USSR? Perhaps it would have given China a chance to emerge from the Shadow of the Bear. Start the game as China just before a nuclear exchange between the US and USSR. Use the opportunity of the Super Powers weakening each other to move against one of them and claim China’s place as a new Supreme Ruler.
Major features of the patch 7.2.1 include:
– New Scenario : Shadow of the Bear
– More than 80 new Cold War events
– 65 actual leader pictures
– Many new units, unit meshes, technology updates
– Significant game speed and AI improvements
– New game features, interface improvements, and general fixes.
The patch is now available through auto update for all Supreme Ruler: Cold War owners through the game launcher.


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|Bid||0.00 x 900|
|Ask||0.00 x 800|
|Day's Range||19.14 - 19.42|
|52 Week Range||18.76 - 26.50|
|PE Ratio (TTM)||N/A|
|Beta (3Y Monthly)||N/A|
|Expense Ratio (net)||0.74%|
A recent user survey conducted by Investing.com revealed that state legislation regarding marijuana legalization is driving investor interest in pot stocks. Looking into 8 million users across the U.S., they found that investors in states that had legalized marijuana showed the a much greater interest in investing in the substance, with Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Alaska and California ranking as the top five states for investor interest. Investing.com's partner on the survey, SEMrush also found a drastic increase in Google searches for pot socks in each of the aforementioned states following legalization, in excess of 100% in most cases.
Article originally posted on LA Weekly, provided to Benzinga Cannabis by the author. A new national advocacy organization has launched in Los Angeles to advocate and educate lawmakers on the path towards federal cannabis legalization. Mr. Jason Beck, a longtime Angeleno who was born with cerebral palsy and an early medical cannabis patient, spearheaded the creation of the new organization. The Global Alliance for Cannabis Commerce (GACC) will focus on legislation including, cultivation, manufacture, distribution, public safety, and taxation of medical and adult-use cannabis.
Since Michigan voters approved and created the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marijuana Act (MRTMA) in late 2018, which legalized recreational usage of marijuana within certain parameters, the state has become a hub of cannabis startups and investors. Both agree Michigan represents an enormous opportunity for companies and investors.
The speculative nature of the cannabis industry has led to some wild swings in pot stocks, but an ETF's big trades are also adding to the volatility.
Oregon is one step closer to voting in November 2020 to legalize medicinal psilocybin mushrooms for adults in the state. While current laws prohibit the use and possession of psilocybin, a hallucinogenic compound from "magic mushrooms," activists in the state are championing the Oregon Psilocybin Services Act. Under the proposed measure, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) would establish a regulatory program allowing for the production, processing, delivery, possession and administration of psilocybin.
By the end of 2019, retail sales are expected to top $12 billion - an increase of 35%, according to Marijuana Business. It’s one thing to offer the best bud, but in today’s retail landscape where new brands and product categories are emerging, it’s important to stay current with shifting trends and tastes of consumers. As the cannabis industry’s wholesale marketplace, LeafLink works with thousands of retailers to simplify their purchasing processes.
By Aaron Silverman, President of MediaJel . New companies tend to cultivate similarly. Build a winning team and culture. Plan and establish your vision of success – but maintain flexibility. Structure ...
While cannabis remains illegal under federal law, state-approved medical marijuana programs continue to sprout like weeds across the United States – and in other parts of the world, too. The key that allows you to reap the benefits of the cannabis plant is a state-specific identification card called the medical marijuana card (also known as a cannabis card or weed card). As of July 2019, the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes has been legalized in 33 states, along with Washington, D.C. As the first state to legalize medical marijuana, California drew the initial blueprint with the 1996 passage of the Medical Use of Marijuana Initiative.
The multi-billion-dollar cannabis industry in the U.S. is largely restricted to cash-only transactions. Will Congress or technology companies be the first to provide a solution for this growing industry?
After three incredibly successful versions of the Cannabis Capital Conference, the Benzinga events team is bringing the next iteration to our hometown of Detroit. The Cannabis Capital Conference takes place Aug. 15 at the Westin Book Cadillac in downtown Detroit. Who Comes To The Conference? The most important part of Benzinga events remains the strong focus on connecting well-vetted companies with a high tier of institutional and accredited investors.
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) may no longer be a death sentence, but it is a life sentence for those who are coping with the chronic symptoms of the virus. There are dozens of HIV/AIDS drugs on the market which reduce viral loads in the body and ease certain symptoms, but also cause unpleasant side effects such as headache and nausea. Well-known as an appetite stimulant, cannabis has been used to manage the anorexia and wasting disease symptoms of HIV/AIDS, but the plant might be able to go even further beyond this basic treatment.
CannabisMD recently compared relative search volumes for CBD and Beyonce, Kim Kardashian, kale and veganism. The findings were a bit surprising. “Looking at 2018 trends, CBD grew by over 260 percent in ...
Argentina will hold its first big cannabis conference, Expo Cannabis, Oct. 4 -6 at the La Rural event hall in Buenos Aires. The South American country is far behind its tiny neighbour Uruguay in terms of cannabis legalization, but things could soon change. Argentina’s cannabis industry is literally seeing its first sprouts.
Why is the hemp plant so good for us? Thankfully, doctors can run tests for these deficiencies and work to find hormone replacement therapy or medicine and therapy that can help with the myriad issues caused by an upset to the balance our bodies want and need.
It’s not even 2020, but the 2020 Election is already turning personal and combative between presidential candidates for the Democratic nomination. This week saw Sen. Cory Booker aim directly at former Vice President Joe Biden, who released his extensive plan for criminal justice reform, which included Biden’s proposal to reclassify marijuana as a Schedule II drug. Among Democrat presidential candidates, Biden is the least progressive on marijuana reform with his views barely evolving since 1989.
Jackson Tilley’s "Billion Dollar Dimebag," which hits bookshelves Sept. 17, is an exploration of the intersection of business, diversity and THC. Before "Billion Dollar Dimebag," Tilley's experiences in the cannabis sphere were almost mundane. After college, he began working at Organa Brands and later at SLANG Worldwide.
The cannabis industry is evolving at a faster pace than ever! Host Wayne Schwind, Founder and Owner of Periodic Edibles discusses those items and more with Benzinga Cannabis' Managing Director Javier Hasse, book author with Entrepreneur Media, and reporter published on Forbes, Entrepreneur, High Times, and more. Benzinga's Cannabis Capital Conference heads to Detroit on Aug. 15 -- Click here to learn more!
Another week, same dismal trading in marijuana stocks. Things are looking even worse for Canopy Growth (NYSE:CGC). Canopy Growth stock is down nearly 40% since the end of April and is threatening to make new 2019 lows. As of this writing, it's already down 5% this week. And they're not alone.Source: Shutterstock Traders opened Monday's trading by dumping shares in the beleaguered marijuana sector. The Alternative Harvest ETF (NYSEARCA:MJ) dropped more than 2%, hitting its lowest level since the second week of January. It's down nearly 30% since its springtime high.What's going on? Arguably, investor sentiment outstripped consumer demand for marijuana. While investors have rushed to get money into the marijuana sector in 2019, actual consumer demand for cannabis has fallen far short of production levels. Let's take a look at both aspects of this imbalance.InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading Tips * 7 Stocks to Buy With Over 20% Upside From Current Levels Investor Interest and Canopy Growth StockSpeculators have gotten increasingly excited about the marijuana sector in recent years. Canada's full legalization of the drug last fall really changed a lot of perspectives. Many folks started viewing it as a legitimate industry and rushed to get in on the ground floor. Also, it's no secret that alcohol and tobacco stocks have been two of the greatest performers over the years. Investors have made fortunes buying and holding vice shares. So why not marijuana?This year, investor demand has played out through the rise of ETFs. Our Matt McCall noted the surge in new marijuana ETFs this year:YOLO is actually a ticker symbol for a recent marijuana-related exchange-traded fund (ETF) called the AdvisorShares Pure Cannabis ETF (NYSEARCA:YOLO), which debuted in April. As legalization spreads and the industry grows, cannabis ETFs are in the midst of their own marijuana craze. In just the last couple of weeks, three new funds have started trading or announced that they are about to: The Cannabis ETF (NYSEARCA:THCX), Amplify Seymour Cannabis ETF (NYSEARCA:CNBS), and Cambria Marijuana ETF (BATS:TOKE).I must say, YOLO and TOKE win the best symbols award … at least for now.I'd note that oftentimes when things get cute, sentiment is near its peak. When you start seeing products with goofy ticker symbols like TOKE and YOLO, it's generally a sign that people are a bit too excited. The YOLO ETF, for example, is off to a rough start, down from $25 to under $20 since its recent launch. Not Enough Consumer DemandCanada's health department has kept track of supply and demand data for the marijuana industry since legalization last fall. It publishes new data each month. The latest results, for May 2019, continue a most worrisome trend for the industry.Last October, when legalization became law, Canada had roughly 115,000 kilograms of completed and in-progress dried cannabis inventory. In May, this jumped to 264,000 kilograms. From April to May alone, inventory levels surged by around 40,000 kilograms.This is a disaster for Canadian marijuana producers because Canadian consumption is still under 10,000 kilograms a month. Thus, marijuana suppliers are producing roughly four times as much product as Canadians are actually buying. And there's no sign of this inventory glut slowing down.The supply of cannabis oil has similarly skyrocketed. It's up by 150% since legalization to 128,000 liters of inventory. Consumption, however, is up by roughly just 50%/month and remains under 10,000 liters per month. Thus, there are more than two years of dried cannabis inventory and one year of CBD oil inventory available at current supply and demand levels. And supply growth continues to outstrip demand increases, making the excess even worse. Canopy Keeps Growing, but Will Its Market?Canopy itself has become a massive player. It's on pace to have more than five million square feet of growing operations in Canada alone by the end of next year. And it may do much more overseas. In Colombia, for example, it has a license to cultivate up to 35 million square feet of cannabis. But who is going to consume this mountain of weed going forward?Canopy's growth at all costs strategy appears to be shaking key backers' confidence. For example, Constellation Brands (NYSE:STZ), which owns a massive chunk of Canopy, is getting nervous. Constellation helped force founder and CEO Bruce Linton out of Canopy.Rumors suggested that this was because Constellation was unhappy with Canopy's financial performance, though Constellation denied this and claimed it instead wanted a different CEO to lead the company's next phase of growth. In any case, the CGC stock price performance has surely not pleased Constellation's leaders in recent months. Canopy Growth Stock VerdictA recent survey found that 44% of British Columbian residents are within C$200 of ending up broke at the end of every month. Given that Vancouver is a major marijuana market, this could be an issue. And it's a worsening of recent trends as the economy has weakened amidst a slump in the housing market there.Perhaps people don't have enough money for discretionary purchases like marijuana. Or perhaps, as people say about alcohol, people will simply buy more because they are stressed out about the sour economy.In any case, if you own Canopy Growth stock, you really have to hope something changes, and soon. Otherwise, there's going to be a lot more stress ahead in the coming quarters. The company has committed to a massive growth program that is blowing through hundreds of millions of dollars.Yes, the company is still well-funded from its Constellation partner. But Canopy is burning through that cash quickly and the share price will keep sinking with it unless the outlook for the marijuana market improves.Based on the numbers in Canada, however, the situation is only getting worse. For now, Canopy Growth stock is likely to keep trending lower. If you want to buy Canopy Growth stock, wait, and you'll be able to get it cheaper.At the time of this writing, Ian Bezek held no position in any of the aforementioned securities. You can reach him on Twitter at @irbezek. More From InvestorPlace * 2 Toxic Pot Stocks You Should Avoid * 10 Small-Cap Stocks to Buy Before They Grow Up * 7 Stocks to Buy With Over 20% Upside From Current Levels * 7 Marijuana Penny Stocks to Consider for Those Who Can Handle Risk The post As Oversupply Skyrockets, Canopy Growth Stock Has Further to Fall appeared first on InvestorPlace.
Former Vice President Joe Biden does not support full legalization of cannabis, but rather decriminalization. Biden has been criticized for writing the 1994 crime bill dovetailed with a significant increase in incarceration rates across the country, including for marijuana possession. At the NAACP National Convention last week, Sen. Kamala Harris of California said she wants to legalize and decriminalize cannabis.
For investors who like exchange traded funds (ETFs) and marijuana stocks, these are wonderful days. Just in July, three new marijuana ETFs have come to market in the U.S., including two during the week of July 22.There are now five cannabis ETFs listed in New York after there was just one at the start of this year. But beyond that, an increasing number of these funds are actively managed. In fact, three of the four marijuana ETFs that have come to market in 2019 are actively managed, including both of the funds that launched last week.The most recent addition to the marijuana ETF fray is the Cambria Cannabis ETF (CBOE:TOKE). TOKE is certainly a candidate for "ticker of the year" among the crop of 2019 rookie cannabis ETFs.InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading Tips * 4 Stocks to Buy That Are Surging After Earnings TOKE "seeks capital appreciation from investments in the global equity markets that have exposure to the broad cannabis industry," according to Cambria. "The Fund will target investing in approximately 20 to 50 of the top companies with exposure to the broad cannabis industry based on Cambria's determination as to their exposure to the industry," it added.TOKE debuted with 34 holdings, including familiar names such as Aurora Cannabis (NYSE:ACB) and Canopy Growth (NYSE:CGC). While it is accurate to say that many of the largest cannabis companies aren't really large-cap stocks or barely qualify for that designation, TOKE tilts toward "micro-, small-, and mid-capitalization stocks," according to the issuer. A Tradition of UpstartsAnother interesting element of the rising competition among cannabis ETFs is that all of the issuers in the space can be considered "upstarts." Indeed, smaller issuers can potentially launch successful marijuana ETFs because it is unlikely that more traditional firms, such as iShares, Vanguard or Schwab, will ever enter this space. For its part, Cambria fits the bill as an upstart ETF issuer and a successful one at that."The fund management industry is dominated by a handful of firms with massive sales and distribution, but we believe investors are looking for original, authentic investment solutions," said Cambria founder Meb Faber in a statement. "Our firm's growth to date is a testament to the trust of our over 30,000 investors who support us, our ideas, and our research. We've approached asset management a bit differently and we're excited to continue launching innovative solutions investors care about."Well-known Cambria ETFs include the Cambria Tail Risk ETF (CBOE:TAIL), Cambria Shareholder Yield ETF (CBOE:SYLD) and the Cambria Global Value ETF (CBOOE:GVAL), among others.As for TOKE, its lineup is somewhat concentrated, with its top ten holdings representing nearly half the fund's weight.Time will tell if active management works for marijuana ETFs, but actively managed marijuana ETFs got off to a bumpy start. The AdvisorShares Pure Cannabis ETF (NYSEARCA:YOLO) dropped by 19% since coming to market, but some of that may be a symptom of bad timing. Marijuana stocks have been sliding since YOLO's debut and the passively managed ETFMG Alternative Harvest ETF (NYSEARCA:MJ), the largest pot ETF, has dropped 18.5% over the past three months. The Bottom Line: TOKE Has a Big Advantage New ETFs, particularly those entering niches occupied by established competitors, often face difficulties in terms of attracting investors. One way the new funds can thrive, though, is by charging lower fees than their older rivals.That strategy has paid off for at least one cannabis ETF. Cannabis ETF (NYSEARCA:THCX) debuted earlier this month with a 0.70% annual fee, making it, for a moment at least, the cheapest marijuana ETF on the market. THCX has amassed nearly $13 million of assets under management in less than a month of trading. That's pretty good, and it's good news for TOKE.TOKE charges just 0.42% per year, or $42 on a $10,000 investment. That is inexpensive relative to standard actively managed equity funds and really, really cheap compared with the current universe of competing cannabis ETFs. That low fee has the potential to be a significant asset driver for TOKE.As of this writing, Todd Shriber does not own any of the aforementioned securities. More From InvestorPlace * 2 Toxic Pot Stocks You Should Avoid * 7 Semiconductor Stocks to Buy for Your Inner Geek * 7 Stocks to Buy That Save You Money * 4 Stocks to Sell Now The post Another Marijuana ETF, Cambria Cannabis, Joins the Party appeared first on InvestorPlace.
The options are listed on the NYSE Arca Options and NYSE American Options markets. Benzinga's Cannabis Capital Conference heads to Detroit on Aug. 15 -- Click here to learn more! “As the cannabis sector attracts more institutional investors and professional traders, having options available on THCX is an important step in building the fund's position as the go-to capital markets tool for cannabis exposure," Matt Markiewicz, Managing Director at Innovation Shares, told Benzinga.
At the start of this year, there was just one marijuana exchange traded fund (ETF) listed in the U.S. By April, that number had doubled to two and now, with the end of July almost here, the number of marijuana ETFs trading in the U.S. is up to four.So July has been a brisk month in terms of new cannabis ETFs coming to market, as two have accomplished that feat. The newest member of that group is the Amplify Seymour Cannabis ETF (NYSEARCA:CNBS), which debuted on Tuesday, July 23.Like the AdvisorShares Pure Cannabis ETF (NYSEARCA:YOLO), which debuted in April, the Amplify Seymour Cannabis ETF is an actively managed fund. CNBS is run by noted cannabis investor and CNBC personality Tim Seymour.InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading Tips * 7 Oversold Stocks To Buy Right Now "The global legal cannabis industry is still very much in its infancy and presents an attractive growth opportunity for investors looking to capitalize on this emerging frontier," Seymour said in a statement. "Amplify has a track record of offering investors access to disruptive areas of the market via the ETF structure, and the cannabis industry certainly fits this mold." Setting Itself ApartAs more ETFs reflect the same sector, it become more incumbent on the segment's newer funds to differentiate themselves from their more established rivals. This is particularly true of thematic ETFs because investors, rightly or wrongly, may believe certain themes, including cannabis, can only support so many ETFs.For its part, CNBS has some ways of setting itself apart from its more established cannabis ETF rivals. CNBS is somewhat of a cannabis pure play, as 80% of the marijuana stocks within CNBS get " 50% or more of their revenue from the cannabis and hemp ecosystem," according to Amplify.The new marijuana ETF also aims for some diversity at the industry level, which can be somewhat difficult in the still-nascent marijuana business. Six industry groups are represented in CNBS, with 61% of its weight allocated to cannabis cultivators.CNBS' top ten holdings will look familiar to fans of marijuana stocks. Among the names in its top ten are Aurora Cannabis (NYSE:ACB), Canopy Growth (NYSE:CGC) and HEXO Corp (NYSE:HEXO).CNBS would appear to be a mid- to smaller large-cap marijuana ETF, but in reality, it also incorporates smaller marijuana stocks.That is one way CNBS sets itself apart from competing cannabis ETFs; active management can be advantageous when it comes to selecting smaller stocks, particularly in the marijuana space.Smaller marijuana stocks can rise dramatically. So it's interesting to note that more than two-thirds of CNBS' lineup is comprised of small- and micro-cap stocks. The Bottom Line: Fierce CompetitionUndoubtedly, there is fierce competition in the marijuana ETF space, and that competition will only get hotter as more issuers bring marijuana ETFs to market. That is definitely going to happen.As I noted here, fees are battlegrounds for new ETFs to make inroads against their rivals. CNBS charges 0.75% per year, or $75 on a $10,000 investment. That is the same as the ETFMG Alternative Harvest ETF (NYSEARCA:MJ) and 0.1 percentage point more than the aforementioned YOLO, the other active marijuana ETF.In terms of competing with YOLO, CNBS has the potential to make something happen because YOLO has dropped 19% since coming to market.For now, the Cannabis ETF (NYSEARCA:THCX) is the cheapest cannabis ETF on the market with an annual expense ratio of 0.70%.Let's check back in a few months to see how CNBS is stacking up against its rivals mentioned here, especially YOLO, before rendering a decision on this rookie cannabis ETF.Todd Shriber does not own any of the aforementioned securities. More From InvestorPlace * 2 Toxic Pot Stocks You Should Avoid * 7 Oversold Stocks To Buy Right Now * 7 Stocks to Buy Upgraded by Wall Street * 7 Marijuana Stocks With Critical Levels to Watch The post Another New Marijuana ETF Takes an Active Approach to Cannabis Investing appeared first on InvestorPlace.


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One of the last moves that Nokia's phone team made before Microsoft bought the division was to announce three handsets powered by Android. The Nokia X, X+, and XL, were the final Finnish gift to Redmond. With rumors building around a new handset in the Nokia X family, that final gift could turn into be a very nice investment.
At the moment there is not much hard evidence to go on for another Android device from Microsoft (it boils down to the appearance of a Nokia X2 in AnTuTu's benchmark listing with the model number RM-1013, and a post to Silicon Valley's digital powder room, Secret) but proceeding with the next iteration of Android handsets would be an attractive option.
Microsoft is going through an intense period of change as new CEO Satya Nadella implements his 'mobile first cloud first' strategy' across the company. Part of the company now includes Nokia's former Devices and Services section. Just before that purchase went through, the Nokia team released the Nokia X and Nokia X+. Powered by their own implementation of the Android Open Source Project, out of the box it relied on the cloud services of Microsoft to deliver the PIM suite of apps rather than a Google account, and a Nokia powered app store rather than Google Play.
I argued previously that the right thing for Microsoft to do was to support the release the Nokia X handsets. If consumers did not want Windows Phone, why not be there to offer them an alternative and get them into their own cloud? To be fair, Microsoft couldn't really stop Nokia releasing the first Nokia X handset as the purchase was not yet completed.
That's not the case with the Nokia XL. While it was also announced on the MWC stage in February alongside the X and X+, it is only reaching the market now. If Microsoft had the will, that release could have been delayed or cancelled. Going ahead with the release is a sign of confidence in Microsoft's Android platform.
Now we have discussions about the second wave of handsets appearing online, and I think this would be another smart move.
It leaves the ex-Nokia team doing what they are best at - shifting a lot of low and medium range handsets and turning a profit. If that part of the 'mobile first' equation is working, then leave the team alone to keep working, at least in the short and medium term.
While Windows Phone is a workable option at the lower end of the market (witness the success of the Lumia 520, and its spiritual successor the Lumia 630), it still has to make a notable number of compromises to reach the price point. The Nokia X family of handsets have to make fewer compromises. Then there's that word 'Android' alongside 'Nokia'. That's a powerful combination of brand names, and in countries such as India those two words are dynamite together. Certainly more than Lumia and Windows Phone can manage.
While there are some issues around Microsoft continuing to support a build of Android (not least because the much vaunted cross platform coding capability between Windows, Windows Phone, and Xbox, would not apply to their Android fork), the change in attitudes of Nadella makes me think the project will happily carry on, bringing in more users to Microsoft's cloud services.
Assuming Microsoft needs to continue designing and building the budget handsets that previously acted as the financial foundation of Nokia's portfolio, a mobile operating system other than Windows Phone is still needed. While the ex-Nokia section has the proprietary OS that runs the Asha handsets (and S40 is still in the cupboard), using Android has a number of advantages, not least in the marketing to users and the wide range of third-party apps and developers that Microsoft can engage with.
If Microsoft is truly looking at cloud first, then the release of a second wave of handsets using their Android Fork is not only possible, but very likely.


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The Effects of the Amazon Rainforest Burning
Friday, January 15, 2021 Tiffany Bartz
In early 2019, nearly 100,000 acres of the Amazon rainforest were cleared and intentionally burnt, primarily in order to make room for cattle. Farmers and ranchers burn down forests and leave the felled trees to dry out. Once the fallen trees have desiccated, they set them on fire, leaving behind an open swath of land ready for agricultural activity. The unfortunate combination of dryer conditions led to the devastating forest fires and the destruction of an additional 310,000 acres of the Amazon rainforest. Fortunately, the forest fires subsided, but the consequences of these fires will have long lasting impacts.
The first victims of these fires are the plants that are scorched, and the animals that are killed or driven from their home. In the Brazilian Amazon, there are, on average, 250 different species of tree per hectare. A recent report indicated that 1 million species are at risk of extinction across the planet and that the main driver in Latin America is habitat destruction of intact ecosystems by agricultural expansion, primarily for beef. The multitudes of plants, trees, insects, frogs, fungi, mammals, birds, and epiphytes lives and homes have been permanently destroyed. The loss of biodiversity in and of itself is devastating.
The second victim of the Amazon fires is our planet and the lasting impact it has with the climate. The Amazon stores the majority of its carbon in the forest, as opposed to other ecosystems; such as the Boreal Forest, where much of the carbon is stored in the soils. While it will take time to know the true carbon cost of the 2019 Amazon fires, preliminary estimates put the carbon released last year at 228 megatonnes (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (Cams) via BBC). This is the equivalent of over 48 million passenger cars driven for a year. The increase in global warming caused by these fires is still being determined.
The third victim of the Amazon fires is humans and the impact it will have on our health. World leading biodiversity experts believe that even more deadly disease outbreaks are likely in the future unless the rampant destruction of the natural world is rapidly halted. We have seen many diseases emerge over the years, such as Zika, Aids, Sars and Ebola, and the current Coronavirus pandemic. They all originated from animal populations under conditions of severe environmental pressures. Pandemics and additional diseases will continue to increase as we destroy our environment.
The world has been ignoring the stark reality of the damage we are incurring on our planet and the effects it has on our environment, our fellow creatures and ourselves for decades. We are a global community and we should start understanding what we can do to make the changes to improve our planet. We only have one.
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“Right now many supply chain companies are looking to minimise their capital expenditure on new software and services. TouchPath’s rental scheme makes that possible, with no price premium” says TouchPath international CEO David Myers
Company claims industry first for new scheme
All TouchPath products including ‘TouchWMS’, ‘TouchMES’ and ‘TouchSales’ will be available to rent, with no price premium
Rental prices include maintenance and support
Flexible options include ‘rent now, buy later’, and rental-period extension
International supply chain solutions provider TouchPath (www.touchpath.com) is launching a rental scheme for its supply chain systems: businesses will now be able to rent TouchPath products, typically for three years for the same price as purchase. All rental prices include maintenance and support. ‘Rent now, buy later’ and rental extension options are also available under the scheme, for which TouchPath is claiming an industry first.
Products covered under the scheme include popular TouchPath solutions such as its ‘TouchWMS’ warehouse management system, which delivers proven productivity increases of 50%; the ‘TouchMES’ performance-driven manufacturing execution system, which displays accurate shop floor data in real time; and ‘TouchSales’, a web-based customer ordering portal designed for remote, COVID-19-driven working.
Commenting on the company’s new rental scheme TouchPath international CEO David Myers says: “Right now many supply chain companies are looking to minimise their capital expenditure on new software and services. TouchPath’s rental scheme makes that possible, with no price premium.”
TouchPath has operations in the USA (High Point, NC 27265) and the UK (Halifax HX1 5ER).


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Willerby overcomes challenges to drive growth as staycations surge20 June 2022
Holiday homes market leader Willerby has increased turnover and profits as well as achieving a record cash balance, despite disruption to operations.
The company’s latest accounts, for the year to October 2nd, 2021, show how Willerby overcame significant challenges posed by COVID-19 and supply chain interruptions to deliver another year of strong results.
During the year Hull-based Willerby recorded turnover of £129.9m, up from £122.5m in the previous year, an increase of 6%.
EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation) was recorded as £5m. However, the impact of the lost opportunity to manufacture more units due to disruption was £7.1m, meaning the underlying EBITDA was £12.1m, a 22% increase on £9.9m the previous year.
Meanwhile, operating profits grew by 20% to £3m, from £2.5m.
Willerby ended the year with its highest ever cash balance of £25.5m, up from £18.3m the year before, an increase of 40%.
No Government support or additional debt was required during the business year.
Willerby has also responded to the surge in staycations and unprecedented demand for holiday homes, lodges and residential park homes by boosting production capacity and increasing its workforce.
Willerby now has 1,150 employees, an increase of 250 in less than two years. That means an annual additional investment of £8m in staff pay and a major boost to the local economy.
Willerby Group Finance Director Sue Allan said: “These results demonstrate the resilience of the business and our ability to withstand significant pressures.
“It was frustrating that we were unable to operate at full capacity during a period when we were seeing exceptional levels of customer demand.
“Despite operating a very successful COVID test centre and daily testing regime, reflecting our strong focus on staff health and wellbeing, we had significant numbers of employees off work at various periods during the year, having tested positive or due to self-isolating.
“Our suppliers also suffered disruption due to COVID and global supply chain issues around the availability of materials.
“We countered these factors with effective measures, including investing significantly in higher raw materials stock levels to guard against shocks to the supply chain.
“The range of actions delivered increased turnover, profits and cash generation. We’re now in an exceptionally strong position, with a full order book into late 2024 and investments in our capacity, people and products ensuring we’re well placed for continuing, long-term growth.”
Willerby CEO Peter Munk said: “These results are very positive. They are a tribute to the success of our business strategy and the efforts of our people in overcoming challenging circumstances.
“The market we serve is exceptionally strong and all the indications are that this will continue well into the future. Our industry’s fortunes are directly linked to the UK holiday market and there can be no doubt that the staycation is here to stay.
“British holidaymakers have re-discovered the joys of stress-free and sustainable staycations and short breaks in the UK. That has fed through to unprecedented demand for holiday home ownership and bookings at holiday parks across the UK.
“At Willerby these market conditions have given us the confidence to continue to invest in our workforce, talent pipeline, production capacity and product development.”
During the last business year Willerby opened an additional production line, creating more than 100 jobs, and invested £1.5m in research into new products and improved manufacturing processes.
Willerby also created 31 new apprentice roles – the biggest recruitment of young talent in the company’s history. A third of the first intake of recruits were female, reflecting Willerby’s drive to support diversity and inclusion in a traditionally male-dominated industry.
Willerby also took further steps during the financial year to reinforce its commitment to sustainability.
In November 2020 a £1.2m biomass heating system became operational, replacing a conventional warm air system. This change reduced use of fossil fuels and delivered an annual saving of 1,000 tonnes of carbon on landfill.
Willerby also introduced a new company vehicle policy to encourage switching to electric and hybrid cars and vans.
In addition, the business operates a cycle to work scheme, which sees Willerby fund the purchase of bikes for its staff who repay the cost through their salaries. Willerby has made an upfront investment of £370,000 in the scheme over the past five years, with more than 600 members of staff taking up the offer to date.
Willerby also continues to support its chosen Charities of the Year. In the past year financial year, staff raised £5,000 for Andy’s Man Club and Hull Animal Welfare Trust. The company match-funded this, meaning the charities benefitted from more than £10,000.
This year, Willerby is supporting Breast Cancer UK and Hull Veterans Support Centre.
Willerby is the UK’s largest holiday homes manufacturer with an unrivalled reputation for design and build quality, technological innovation and customer care.
The business is majority owned by Equistone Partners Europe, a mid-market European private equity house, with a minority stake held by the management team.


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German manufacturer Rotpunkt is taking steps at its factories in Bunde and Getmold to ensure production of its kitchens is 100% carbon neutral from January 1, 2020.
Head of UK operations at Rotpunkt Matt Phillips commented: “A consistent focus on environmental and social sustainability is the foundation for successful corporate development and as we enter a new era of global change, Rotpunkt welcomes the scope to evolve both brand and business and use ‘change as an opportunity’.”
He continued: “Aiming to set new standards within the kitchen furniture industry, our motivation is to produce kitchens as ethically as possible, which is why we have committed to 100% carbon neutral production with absolutely no compromised on quality or design.
“Our research shows that eco-credentials are a growing concern to the modern homeowner and our pledge for sustainable kitchen manufacture in 2020 is just one way we can reduce our carbon footprint and answer the growth for ethical consumerism.”
In 2021, it is also expected Rotpunkt will have a company-wide conversion to green electricity.
At it recent annual open-house in Germany, the company revealed a collection of environmentally-friendly kitchen furniture with zero carbon footprint.
These kitchens are set to hit the UK in January 2020.
Matt Phillips said: “As a premium kitchen manufacturer, we recognise our influence and ability to impact market change, which is why the production of sustainable furniture solutions has become an integral part of our past and future brand and business methodology.
“We want to bring this same level of stimulus to our UK retail network, so they can help their customers make better choices and become part of Rotpunkt’s ‘climate action solution’.”


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By Mathieu Rosemain and Gwénaëlle Barzic
PARIS (Reuters) – Publicis, <PUBP.PA> the world’s third-biggest advertising group, cut its 2019 growth guidance on Thursday after reporting a weaker-than-expected performance in the second quarter as it struggles to revive sluggish sales in the United States.
Publicis, whose revenue is being squeezed by competition from Facebook <FB.O> and Google <GOOGL.O> as well as tightening ad budgets by major clients, now expects a “broadly stable net revenue” in 2019, excluding the impact of acquisitions and foreign exchange.
Publicis previously had forecast a higher growth of its revenue on an organic basis in 2019 than in 2018, but gave no precise figure.
In 2018, its organic revenue growth amounted to a meagre 0.8%, excluding the underperformance of a U.S. business that it sold in January.
The group posted second-quarter 2019 organic growth of 0.1 percent, missing a market consensus estimate of 0.7 percent, as the gains of key media budgets for GlaxoSmithKline <GSK.L> and Fiat-Chrysler <FCHA.MI> failed to offset weaker sales in the United States, its number one market.
This compares with the 2.8% organic growth posted by bigger U.S. rival Omnicom <OMC.N> over the same period.
“We still face the same issue, as anticipated, as our contracts on traditional ads in the United States continue to suffer,” Chief Executive Officer Arthur Sadoun told reporters ahead of the results.
The underperformance also led the group to put its ambitious 2020 targets under review. Publicis expected an underlying sales growth target of 4 percent — an objective that many analysts have considers as nearly impossible to attain.
Sadoun cited the recent $4.4 billion (£3.5 billion) takeover of data-focused marketing business Epsilon as the main reason for putting the longer term targets under review.
Despite the lower revenue growth forecast, Publicis confirmed its 2019 operating margin and EPS targets.
(Reporting by Mathieu Rosemain and Gwenaelle Barzic; Editing by GV De Clercq)


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Inflation, as measured by the Colombo Consumers’ Price Index (CCPI) (2002=100), computed by the Department of Census and Statistics, increased to 5.8 per cent in September 2010, on a point-to-point basis as anticipated, from 5.0 per cent in August, reflecting mainly the lower base in the corresponding month of 2009. Meanwhile, the annual average inflation increased to 5.0 per cent in September from 4.5 per cent in the previous month, as a result of the price developments in the preceding twelve month period. Meanwhile, the core inflation, which measures the price movement of non-food and non-energy items of the CCPI basket, stabilized at 6.3 per cent on an annual average basis, for the fourth successive month, while increasing marginally on a point-to-point basis, to 5.7 per cent in September 2010 from 5.5 per cent in the previous month.
The contribution to the monthly increase of 1.0 per cent in the Index originated from price increases in the sub categories of Food and non-alcoholic beverages (1.7 per cent); Clothing and footwear (1.2 per cent); Health (0.4 per cent); Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels (0.3 per cent); Recreation and culture (0.2 per cent); and Furnishing, household equipment and routine household maintenance (0.03 per cent). Meanwhile, prices in the sub categories of Transport, Communication, Education, and Miscellaneous goods and services remained unchanged during the month.
The original Press release by CBSL as a PDF Sri Lanka inflation Sep 2010


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India’s drugs regulator has ordered Johnson & Johnson to stop manufacturing its Baby Powder using raw materials in two of its Indian factories until test results prove they are free of asbestos, a senior official said on Thursday.
The official at the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO), said a written order. It had been sent to the U.S. company telling it to stop using the “huge quantities” of raw materials. It stocked in its plants in northern and western India.
The company said on Wednesday that Indian drug authorities visited some of its facilities and took “tests and samples” of its talcum powder. It also said that it based the safety of its cosmetic talc on a long history of safe use. And also decades of research and clinical evidence by independent researchers and scientific review boards worldwide.
CDSCO Collect Sample Of Other Product As Routine
The CDSCO also collected samples of the company’s baby shampoo and soap products as a matter of routine, the official said.
“Whenever inspectors feel there is contamination in one thing they also take samples of (other products) from the same company,” the official said.
The visits came as the CDSCO and state-based food and drug administrations launched an investigation into J&J’s Baby Powder following a Reuters report last Friday that the firm knew for decades that they could find cancer-causing asbestos in the product. J&J has described the Reuters article as “one-sided, false and inflammatory”.
“All talc in India is sourced and only sold in India and surrounding markets . It includes Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives. It fully meets the regulatory standards of the Government of India,” the company said in an emailed statement.
J&J also said its talc is routinely tested by both suppliers and independent labs to ensure that it is free of asbestos.
Asked if the order meant the company would have to stop producing its ubiquitous Baby Powder in India for now. The official at the drugs regulator said that was “the inference you have to take” at least as far as the stores of raw materials were concerned.
“We have told them until this investigation concludes, you should not use the raw material. Test results will take time,” the official said. “Testing for asbestos is not a routine procedure. It might be in traces. It will require us to develop a method and all those things.”
J&J’s Baby Powder is one of the most recognized foreign brands in India.
The company sold its Baby Powder in India in 1948, just a year after the country won independence from Britain. Presenting gift boxes containing the product and others aimed at newborns is almost a family ritual of 1.3 billion people, 28 percent of it ages whom 0-14.
The company also commands a strong retail distribution network through small pharmacies, larger stores, and the internet.
At eight pharmacies across India visited by Reuters reporters on Thursday, seven said J&J remained the No. 1 seller of powder for babies.
That doesn’t mean it isn’t under pressure from local and international competitors. It is who sell talc-type powders, such as Bengaluru-based Himalaya Herbals, and Italy’s Artsana, which produces Chicco baby brands.
And some individual consumers say they are now very wary of J&J’s Baby Powder.
“It is very, very shocking,” said Sitaram Beria, a chartered accountant in the eastern city of Bhubaneswar. He said he stopped applying J&J powder to his six-month-old baby after hearing about the Reuters report over the weekend.


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Bharti Enterprises chairman Sunil Mittal, who took over as executive chairman of OneWeb, said the satellite firm plans to offer broadband services in India by May/June 2022, and is currently in talks with the Indian Space Research Organisation and other authorities.
In an interview with ET, Lin indicated that Xiaomi Mi 5 will be priced between Rs 20,000 and Rs 27,000 at the time of launch. However, it was not revealed whether the company will release all three storage variants of the smartphone (32, 64 and 128GB) in the country.
If the 64GB variant of Xiaomi Mi 5 is priced around Rs 25,000, it will be in direct competition with OnePlus 2 and YU Yureka. However, it will have an edge over the rivals due to its superior chipset (Snapdragon 820 vs Snapdragon 810).
The smartphone comes in three configurations:
* 1.8GHz quad-core Snapdragon 820 processor, 32GB storage, 3GB RAM, 3D curved glass body
* 2.15GHz quad-core Snapdragon 820 processor, 64GB storage, 3GB RAM, 3D curved glass body
* 2.15GHz quad-core Snapdragon 820 processor, 128GB storage, 4GB RAM, 3D ceramic body
The smartphone's 16MP rear camera has 4-axis optical image stabilization for blur-free photo & videos as well as sapphire glass lens and two-tone, dual-LED flash; it can capture 4K as well as 120fps slo-mo videos. The front camera has 5MP resolution and pixel size of 2 micron.
For connectivity, Xiaomi Mi 5 supports 4G+ (also called LTE-Advanced) networks for faster downloads (up to Cat12), NFC, and USB Type C. The battery capacity of the smartphone is 3,000mAh and features QuickCharge 3.0 technology that provides 4 hours of battery life on charge of 10 minutes.
Lin also said that the company will not manufacture Mi 5 in India at least initially.
Xiaomi also plans to launch two more devices in India this year, one in the next quarter and the other in second half. The company recently released the Redmi Note 3 budget phablet in the country.